Show How exactly do I measure shredded cheese by the cup? When a recipe calls for a cup of shredded cheese does that mean an 8 ounce block of cheese shredded or what will fit in an 8 ounce (2 cups) measuring cup? ANSWER: Basically, when a recipe is asking for shredded cheese in cup measurements, it is suggesting the amount of "shredded" cheese it takes to levelly fill a measuring cup, in other words, by volume. When measuring semi-hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Swiss or mozzarella, by weight, it is generally accepted that 4 ounces yields 1 cup shredded cheese, or in answer your question, yes, 8 ounce of shredded cheese will fit into a 2-cup volume measuring cup. (When measuring hard cheeses such as Parmesan or Romano, the weight is slightly less in that 3 ounces will yield 1 cup shredded.) Tip: Don't worry too much about having the exact amount of cheese in recipes calling for cup (volume) measurements, a little more or less is not going to make much of a difference -- say if you only had 7 ounces of cheese, it probably wouldn't negatively effect the overall outcome of a recipe calling for 2 cups shredded cheese. Have a question? Submit it here. FAQ Archive Index When your recipe calls for grated cheese
measured in cups or grams, but the supermarket only sells the cheese you need as a wedge labeled in pounds, it can be challenging to figure out exactly how much to buy. First, take a quick look at this simple conversion table: Knowing these standards can help you when buying cheese that comes packaged in Europe or other countries using the
metric system. Once you know those basics, there is a general guideline to make cooking with cheese easier. Before overbuying expensive cheese remember that: This simple conversion chart works for most cheeses, including
Blue cheese and Feta, which are normally crumbled, not grated or cubed.
Parmesan cheese, however, is slightly different. One pound of this cheese equals about 4 1/2 cups grated which makes 1/4 pound come out to about 1 1/4 cups grated. The same goes for cheeses of similar texture, like Pecorino. Coarse Versus Finely GratingIf you are measuring by weight, remember that coarsely grated cheese is much heavier than finely grated cheese. In other words, 1 cup of coarsely grated cheese will contain less cheese than 1 cup of finely grated cheese. Most well-written recipes will specify what grating size is used. No Need to be ExactDon't worry too much about having the exact amount of cheese in recipes calling for cup (volume) measurements—a little more or less is not going to make much of a difference. If you only had 7 ounces of cheese, it probably wouldn't negatively affect the overall outcome of a recipe calling for 1 cup (8 ounces) of shredded cheese. But when in doubt, always buy more than you think you'll need. Grating Your Own CheeseAlthough it seems obvious and convenient to grab a bag of shredded cheese at the supermarket, grating your own is not as difficult or time-consuming as you might think. Besides, it's likely that you're paying more for grated cheese compared to the whole wedge, and that the pre-packaged shredded cheese includes additives to keep it from clumping together and becoming moldy. A little extra effort can save you money and additives in your food. If you use a lot of cheese and prefer to grate your own, you should consider getting a good box grater for basic cheese shredding—1 cup of shredded cheese will take under two minutes. If you use the food processor, you'll have grated cheese in 10 seconds. In addition, a Microplane (most often used for zesting) makes quick work of fine grated Parmesan cheese. For Best ResultsThere are a few tricks to making grating cheese even easier and with quicker cleanup:
Is an 8 oz block of cheese the same as 8 oz shredded?Short answer: NO they're not the same. There isn't as much cheese in an 8 oz bag of shredded cheese as in an 8 ounce block. The contents of an 8 oz bag of shredded cheese and an 8 oz block of cheese is the same. It's the weight of actual cheese in the bag vs block that's different.
How much block cheese makes a cup of shredded?1/4 pound cheese = 1 cup grated.
How many cups are in a 16 oz block of cheese?I am a bit confused as to whether this means a 16 oz block of cheese shredded, or 16 oz (2 cups) of shredded cheese.
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